Firsts.
My very first day of placement was actually not that memorable. I felt like I spent most of the day wandering around after others, repeatedly reminding people that I'm a first year, first placement student and I spent a significant amount of time avoiding answering the phone that was incessantly ringing! Probably the key thing that I'd reflect on now, is that in handover, nobody actually introduced themself, showed me around or explained what the hell was expected of me. Everyone was friendly enough though and I hadn't forgotten how to talk to patients so things were okay! Upon leaving, everyone said that the second day would be better and they were right!
The second day became a day of many firsts. My first drug round, changing a dressing alone for the first time, writing in patients notes for the first time, answering the phone with the phrase "X ward, Student Nurse Laura speaking" for the first of many many times! I felt I really found my feet and got on well with the nurse I was working with.
I'm now four shifts in an for the most part I would say that my placement is going really well. I have worked with the same nurse each shift and in the same bay so have had some of the same patients on each shift - which is good continuity for both the patient and myself! For one of my shifts, the nurse I'm working with was in charge of the ward which gave me an insight into a different role and to be honest - I can't see myself being interested in nurse management for a while yet. On that day, I missed spending time with the patients - as interesting as it was to attend the bed meeting, work on complex discharges and generally oversee the running of the ward? I missed the patient contact, the personal care, having a few patients that I can really get to know.
The nurse I've been working with is absolutely lovely and has been really encouraging. Unfortunately she isn't a registered mentor - so although I can continue to work with her, she can only sign off skills, not my NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) competencies. We've picked out what skills I'm going to work on after Easter and the nurse I've been working with has promised to help sort out a registered mentor!
I'm now on Easter break but have two "spokes" planned for when I return to placement. Our placements are designed as "hubs and spokes" the stroke ward is my hub, and where I will spend the majority of my time, but a spoke can be undertaken in any number of places to enhance my learning and give me variety. My first spoke will be a day out with the critical care outreach team (quite possibly my dream job!) and then second is going to be an acute stroke simulation training day (providing I get a place).
TTFN x
The second day became a day of many firsts. My first drug round, changing a dressing alone for the first time, writing in patients notes for the first time, answering the phone with the phrase "X ward, Student Nurse Laura speaking" for the first of many many times! I felt I really found my feet and got on well with the nurse I was working with.
I'm now four shifts in an for the most part I would say that my placement is going really well. I have worked with the same nurse each shift and in the same bay so have had some of the same patients on each shift - which is good continuity for both the patient and myself! For one of my shifts, the nurse I'm working with was in charge of the ward which gave me an insight into a different role and to be honest - I can't see myself being interested in nurse management for a while yet. On that day, I missed spending time with the patients - as interesting as it was to attend the bed meeting, work on complex discharges and generally oversee the running of the ward? I missed the patient contact, the personal care, having a few patients that I can really get to know.
The nurse I've been working with is absolutely lovely and has been really encouraging. Unfortunately she isn't a registered mentor - so although I can continue to work with her, she can only sign off skills, not my NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) competencies. We've picked out what skills I'm going to work on after Easter and the nurse I've been working with has promised to help sort out a registered mentor!
I'm now on Easter break but have two "spokes" planned for when I return to placement. Our placements are designed as "hubs and spokes" the stroke ward is my hub, and where I will spend the majority of my time, but a spoke can be undertaken in any number of places to enhance my learning and give me variety. My first spoke will be a day out with the critical care outreach team (quite possibly my dream job!) and then second is going to be an acute stroke simulation training day (providing I get a place).
TTFN x
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